We’ve all been there – a new symbol pops up on your car’s dashboard that you don’t recognise, causing panic to set in.
But the days of frantically rooting around for your car’s handbook could soon be a thing of the past, thanks to Apple’s next iPhone update.
The tech giant is updating its Visual Look Up tool in the upcoming iOS 17 update.
While the tool can already recognise popular landmarks, statues, art, plants, pets and more in photos, Apple has confirmed that it will soon also recognise symbols.
‘Now users can identify food, storefronts, signs, and symbols, and lift individual subjects from photos and videos,’ it explained.
We’ve all been there – a new symbol pops up on your car’s dashboard that you don’t recognise, causing panic to set in. But the days of frantically rooting around for your car’s handbook could soon be a thing of the past, thanks to Apple’s next iPhone update
Visual Look Up first launched in iOS 16, and uses artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and learn about features in photos.
There’s still a few months to wait until the launch of iOS 17, but eagle-eyed beta testers have spotted that symbols will soon be included.
When you open a photo in full screen on your phone, you should see an information icon on the photo.
Swipe up on the photo or tap on the icon, and Siri will identify the symbols and tell you exactly what they mean.
The tool will even tell you where the information has been pulled from, so you can rest assured that it’s legitimate.
Visual Look Up isn’t the feature getting an update in iOS 17.
Visual Look Up first launched in iOS 16, and uses artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and learn about features in photos
Apple is also launching a new tool called Screen Distance, which will monitor where your iPhone is in relation to your face, and alert you if it’s too close.
‘Increasing the distance the device is viewed from can help children lower their risk of myopia and gives adult users the opportunity to reduce digital eyestrain,’ Apple explained.
The new tool will make use of the TrueDepth camera, which works by projecting thousands of invisible dots onto your face and analysing them to create a depth map of your face.
‘Screen Distance in Screen Time uses the TrueDepth camera to encourage users to move their device farther away after holding it closer than 12 inches from their face for an extended period of timem,’ Apple said.
The iOS 17 update is expected to launch in September.
THE TRILLION DOLLAR RISE OF APPLE
1976: Founders Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne created the company on April 1 1976 as they set about selling computer kits to hobbyists, each of which was built by Wozniak.
The first product was the Apple I.
1977: Apple released the Apple II in June, which was the first PC made for the mass market.
Steve Jobs unveils Apple Computer Corporation’s new Macintosh February 6, 1984 in California.
1981: Jobs became chairman.
1984: The Macintosh was introduced during an ad break for the Super Bowl and later officially unveiled during a launch event. It was discontinued a year later and Jobs left the firm.
1987: Apple released the Macintosh II, the first colour Mac.
1997: Apple announces it will acquire NeXT software in a $400 million deal that involves Jobs returning to Apple as interim CEO. He officially took the role in 2000.
The then Chief Executive Officer of Apple, Steve Jobs, with the iPhone
2001: Apple introduced iTunes, OS X and the first-generation iPod.
The first iPod MP3 music player was released on October 23, 2001, at an event in Cupertino and was able to hold up to 1,000 songs.
2007: Apple unveils the iPhone.
2010: The first iPad was unveiled.
2011: Jobs resigned in 2011 due to illness, handing the CEO title to Tim Cook. Jobs died in October from pancreatic cancer.
2014: Apple unveiled the Apple Watch. It also unveiled its first larger iPhones – the 6 and 6 Plus.
2015: After purchasing Beats from Dr Dre, Apple launched Apple Music to compete with Spotify and other music streaming services.
2016: Apple returned to its roots and announced the 4-inch iPhone SE. Meanwhile, the firm is embroiled in a legal battle with the FBI, involving the agency demanding access to the locked phone used by Syed Farook, who died in a shootout after carrying out a deadly December attack in San Bernardino, California with his wife. The court order was dropped on March 28 after the FBI said a third party was able to unlock the device.
2017: Apple introduces the iPhone X, which removes the home button to make way for a futuristic edge-to-edge screen design and a new FaceID system that uses advanced sensors and lasers to unlock phones with just the owner’s face.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs speaks at an Apple event at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, Calif.
2018: In a first for the company, Apple introduces new features in its latest operating system, iOS 12, that encourage users to manage and spend less time on their devices. The move was spawned by a strongly worded letter from shareholders that urged the firm to address the growing problem of smartphone addiction among kids and teenagers.
2019: In January, Apple reports its first decline in revenues and profits in a decade. CEO Tim Cook partly blamed steep declines in revenue from China.
2020: In March, Apple closes all its bricks and mortar retail stores outside of China in response to coronavirus.
2021: In an online virtual event in April CEO Tim Cook declared Apple’s goal of becoming carbon neutral for Earth Day. Later in the year the iPhone 13 was announced.
2022: In September the iPhone 14 was announced. One of the new features included a new sensor to detect if a user had been in a car crash as well as an improved camera system.
2023: So far this year Apple has brought back its ‘Home Pod’ after the first generation was discontinued. The ‘Home Pod’ can be seen as an alternative to Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home as it is powered by voice commands.
